This super-atmospheric place oozes authenticity, with a lively and friendly Galician ambience. The tapas served here are excellent, but add to that the low price and central location and you have yourself a rarity.
Santiago de Compostela Nightlife
Santiago de Compostela is a university city and while the nightlife scene is dominated by the student population, there are plenty of characterful bars and live music venues to suit many a taste. Most of the action takes place in the rectangle defined by Rúa de Santiago de Chile and Rúa de San Pedro de Mezonzo, which are full of raucous bars swarming with students during term time. But it’s along the Rúa do Franco that the highest concentration of bars and eateries can be found. Rúa Nova de Abaixo is also very popular.
Tickets to cultural and live music events are often available direct from the venue. Event listings can be found in the El Compostelán and Santiago 7 Días publications, available in bars and cafés and from the tourist office.
Bars in Santiago de Compostela
Fuco Lois is a rustic pub with fantastic decor, an antique ambience and a young student clientele. Live music events take place regularly with a leaning towards classic rock. The service is great, as are the drinks.
Open until late, Modus Vivendi takes the soul of American music of the 60s and 70s and adds a splash of Galician colour to create of the most popular pubs in the Old Town. Supposedly the first pub in Galician history, it was once a horse stables. There’s a range of other events and photography or art exhibitions here too, making this a diverse spot both historically and culturally.
Clubs in Santiago de Compostela
A popular one with the university crowd, Blaster frequently hosts modern pop and rock nights into the small hours of the morning with reasonable entry costs. The dance floor particularly starts to fill up after three in the morning when many of the bars in the Old Town close.
Half pub, half disco and all energy, Discoteca Ruta can be found five minutes from the Plaza de Galicia. Of the slim pickings with regards nightclubs in the city, Disco Ruta is by far one of the most popular in Santiago de Compostela.
DJ sets and live music cover a range of genres here, including hip hop, house, punk, rock and even the occasional 80s night. The diverse range of club nights is what gives the place a really laid back ambience.
Live Music in Santiago de Compostela
The Auditorio de Galicia is the major venue for musical performances in Santiago de Compostela. It is also home to the Galician Philharmonic Orchestra. The city is also one of the best places to hear the local Celtic music, with the gaita (bagpipes) featuring heavily.
Casa das Crechas is popular with students and features live Galician Celtic music. While the “Banda das Crechas” performs regularly, there have been many other performances from groups across Europe here too. Many people come for the atmosphere alone.
For those who like to accompany their jazz and folk with wines and spontaneous theatrical performances, there is the atmospheric La Borriquita de Belém. Occasional rock and blues performances also grace a stage that has been hosting live musicians since 1971.
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